When it comes to deciding what to grow, Mr Finlay said the market made that choice.

"The fruit breeders are constantly chasing new and better varieties as well,” he said.

"We try and keep up to speed, so if it looks like there's a new variety coming in our time slot that's better than what we've got we'll look at those seriously.”

Like most farmers in the region, water is a premium issue at the orchard.

"If you had an endless water supply you'd probably say 'I'll just irrigate everything' because you'd know exactly how much to give it. But this year when the water supplies are limited, you'd like to think you can get a bit of help from upstairs with a bit of rain.”

Mr Finlay believed a lot of people didn't realise growing stonefruit was a year round process.

"It starts as soon as we finish picking the fruit.

"There's the fertiliser program for the whole new season. The trees you have to look after all through the summer. You thin maybe 80 percent of the fruit off the tree so you end up with a number that's ideal for the trees so they get good size and a good amount of flesh.

"If you leave too many... the fruit size is small and you end up with a big stone and it usually doesn't taste as good either.”